Traditionally fireplaces have burned flammable material, such as wood or the like. However, there are many locations in which a flue, vent or other exhaust system is impractical. Therefore, various ventless fireplace options have surfaced. These options rely on natural gas, gel or liquid alcohol mixtures, or other materials that do not result in dirty exhaust gases or particles. Ventless fireplaces are desirable in that they allow for the beauty and ambiance associated with a traditional fireplace to be provided in a location without available venting, heat protection, or other elements required to be employed in accordance with such a traditional fireplace. The gel alcohol fuel burns cleanly, therefore presenting no pollutants common to wood burning fireplaces. As the heat generated from such a ventless fireplace is substantially less than that from a wood burning fireplace, substantially less structure is required for fire and heat protection. Finally, such a ventless fireplace is able to be started and stopped quite easily, igniting the fuel to start, and snuffing out the fuel to turn the fireplace off.
While such ventless fireplaces are convenient in many ways, many features associated with them are cumbersome to a user. In particular, existing products in this market typically employ either a liquid fuel that is poured into the fireplace, or a simple metal can of fuel with a plastic cover.
In the case of using a can filled with fuel, and including a plastic cover, the user is typically required to remove the plastic cover, insert the can into the fireplace, and light the can of gel with a long match or gas lighter. Alternatively, a traditional round sterno chafing dish type material may be employed, but gives an unrealistic flame. If the user wishes to extinguish the fireplace flame before the fuel in the can has run out, the flame may be required to be manually snuffed by covering the opening in the fuel can with a panel of material. Because there is a hot flame emanating from this opening, users may be uncomfortable with this snuffing procedure. Further, they require manual removal of fuel cell seals, thus risking leaking of gel alcohol fuel, manual ignition of the fuel, and manual extinguishment if the fuel is not exhausted, raising safety and convenience concerns,
Use of the liquid fuel requires that the user access a fuel refilling port included with the fireplace, and manually pour the fuel into the fireplace into an available vat or the like. These liquid fueled systems are also typically required to be manually lit and snuffed in a manner similar to that of the fuel can fireplaces. This process may be messy for the user, and may be one which the user is uncomfortable performing if the fireplace is in use or has recently been in use, perhaps resulting in hot fireplace parts. Indeed, the Consumer product safety has issued a recall of a number of products employing such pourable fuel. The recall states “Due to the serious risks of flash fire and burns when consumers add pourable gel to an already burning fire pot, consumers should immediately stop using the pourable gel fuel. The pourable gel fuel can ignite unexpectedly and splatter onto people and objects nearby when it is poured into a firepot that is still burning . . . . All pourable gel fuel, regardless of manufacturer, poses flash fire hazards.”
While the gel alcohol ventless fireplace has been gaining in popularity, as described above, many of the systems currently available for handling fuel are quire messy and inconvenient. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and system that allow for easier and safer use by a user, and that overcomes other drawbacks of the prior art.